First things first. Iīve been looking around in this forums for quit a while, always fascinated by the quality of the carvings to see. But also all the other stuff to find here.
I myself spent quite a lot of time carving, inspired by the 'Book of Tiki'which I came across about 2 years ago (+ more recently 'Tiki modern' as well).

I must admit, that in the beginning I never made any help lines or drawings on the logs I used and I also do not have any 'work in progress' pics. Or at least a few. Shame on me.

So here we go:

The one on the right was the first, made for my wife for a special reason (which I canīt remember at the moment)

This one was the second (looking nasty and unfeminie, not useful as a present for special reasons)

I canīt remember the wood I used for these two guys, I found it somewhere and it was dry, so it did not crack till now.

The following two where made out of firewood, I was given by a friend.
After starting I anytime noticed that it was rotten, but I had gone to far to throw them away.
I found some progress pics, too.
This is birch, and as you can see, there are marks form rotting all over and in the wood.

But I kept them and put some acrylic paint on them, to let them look good from far.

This one has got some craquelure varnish on his face, which only came out slightly fair.

I myself wasnīt that happy with the effect, but I put them on a shelf and dimmed the lights, so visitors allways say they look great ever since.

What do you think about that?

You can count five little statues, so there is more to come. These 4 introduced ones where made about 2 yrs ago and I had a lot to learn.

At present Iīm suffering from a tennis elbow surgery, which had become nesseary because of carving (hm), but with plaster to my left, i will recover soon. Otherwise it gives me the chance to post some more pics.

An please excuse my choppy style of writing for I am not a native english speaker. But I will try my very best further on.

To show you some more, I picked two other tikis of which I only have these pics left.
I gave them away to some friends of mine.

And again, there where no lines drawn on the logs to give myself a direction. I just started without knowing, where it would end.

The small one on the table is made out of beech, height about 30 cm / ca. 12 inch + the big on in the corner was a birch log I guess (I had barked a few till then and canīt rememeber now.)Height was ca. 50 cm / 20 inch.

I like tikis with bodies better than only the heads, although I think you come to an end faster when only doing the head.
Anyway, it allways takes its time, especially when you got no helplines on the log.
That is, what I found out at first and where you guys at TC inspired me.

When I carve, I still donīt follow any special style or pattern, and so it went with these two fellows.

I sorry for the quality of my photos, but itīs not possible to get them better.

Excellent stuff here tok-tok, not bad at ALL for just starting tiki. Don't be afraid to use the tikis that you like in the Book of Tiki as Inspiration for your own, just don't copy them line for line(which would be difficult anyway). Thosa are all pretty much traditional tikis which would be recognized and accepted by any tikiphile, anywhere. The good thing about using them for patterns is that the original artist has worked out all the chops and lines and such which will greatly assist you in your carving, Even though you aren't making identical copies.
Keep up the good work and Keep practicing. Every tiki you carve is only practice for the next one.
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Nice carvings there tok-tok, I like the last one you posted the best.
Are you burning those black spots or do you use paint ?

Where in Germoney are you ? I am german as well and I'm moving back to Munich in 2 weeks. I'd really like to meet some carvers, since I just started with some small tikis (easier to ship) and can't wait to get my hands on some bigger logs and of course learn and get some inspiration.

ALOHA tok-tok, wellcome on TC! Great start, let the chips fly. Great start
Traderbob, if you stay in Munich you have to visit the Trader Vicīs or the Waikiki!
Trader Vicīs is the pearl of south germany!

On 2007-10-22 04:38, haikai wrote:ALOHA tok-tok, wellcome on TC! Great start, let the chips fly. Great start
Traderbob, if you stay in Munich you have to visit the Trader Vicīs or the Waikiki!
Trader Vicīs is the pearl of south germany!

haikai,

yep, Trader Vic's is already scheduled for the first night when I get back

seeksurf: I just read your own topic (again!) and I personally think, you never can have enough chainsaws (I only got one). Have problems with symmetry myself sometimes, but where is your problem with that? Very clean with perfect headdress.

Benzart: Thank you for your words of wisdom, copying is not my style but I must admit, that I tried it twice or thrice with no satisfying results (I will show them later on). I read so much + saw so many pics of yours that I donīt know what to say. I admire your work ever since I came here.

tikidreams: Sweden, I like sweden, great country, much wood, friendly people, big rocks. To tell you ībout my tools I need some pics, which I can not take as you will see later on down here. (by the way, we have nearly the same interests as Iīve seen in your profile)

vampiressRN: it is nice to hear (mean read) from someone who is around here having fun a lot. The still life picture has been taken, where this guy now normally lives. I donīt have such colorful flowers. Keep on digging this forum.

Traderbob: Well, what can I say, allready replied in your topic. When will you be back? As I mentioned, nice work. Funny is, to communicate in english. But I guess, it is only polite to the bigger part, to all of you at TC. (Iīm still not sure, if my syntax is correct, havenīt done this for a long time.)

Haikai: Ah, great. Allways wanted to get in contact with you, but time and stuff, you know. Im honoured to read your reply. Thanks for the surport. I first came across you by reading the article in the "dynamite"- rockabilly-magazine (canīt remember the issue nr.)in combination with the walldorf-weekender. Your are , beside a bulk of others, one of my favorites here.

Ok, ok, enough flattery for today. Back to the pics.

I try to post them in the correct order, in which I carved.

The two following tikis where made during 2005 summer vacation and beyond. I had them stained already but did not like the result so I started sanding them again and changed some details. But there is still a lack of pics.

There is nothing traditional in it; this one reminds me widely of witco, but is from a period, where I even did not know, what that means.
It is a kind of softwood, spurce I think, but I am not sure.

Next fellow ist made of beech, as you can see, I did the same to him by sanding.
To answers traderbobs question about the black spots (before forgeting it): First I had an big, old, evil soldering iron, which I found in a toolbox of one of my relatives. But it blew up soon. Irreparable.
From then on I tryed a lot of different ways, from black stain over chinese tusche to poker work and gas torch. It depends on the tiki.

That was also my first attempt to use a chainsaw, which got me the first artificial lines ( later I started using a pencil for that). The black spots and lines are chinese tusche.
finished.

It is a bit of a copy I was saw on the kreepytiki side. But the rear, arms, legs and 'haircut' is of my imagination.

Ok. Its late (3 in the morning here in germany), I tired now. I only sit in front of the computer because I am signed off sick.
Tikidreams: Most of the time, I use this tool, working on tiki. But it had to be repared. The other still works.
See you all at TC.